They All Fall Down
by Lily-Starbuck
Summary: Continues straight on from the last scene in the season 12 finale 'In a Dark, Dark House' I own nothing
1. Chapter 1

New fic from me. AAAAND it's a multichapter one! *shock horror*. This idea came to me a few weeks ago, and continues on from the last scene of the season 11 finale 'In a Dark, Dark House', so possible spoilers if you haven't seen it. Any other idea is my own. As always I own nothing *sigh*. The first few lines of dialogue are direct quotes from the episode.

CSI Ray Langston sat in the interrogation room opposite Internal Affairs Officer Shultz, waiting patiently as the younger man arranged his file and tape recorder. On the other side of the window across from him he could make out the pacing figures of Catherine Willows and Nick Stokes. He felt it safe to assume that Sara Sidle and Greg Sanders were also there, out of sight, all anxiously awaiting the outcome of this interview.  
>After a few moments Officer Shultz pressed a button on the recorder and began speaking.<p>

"This is the formal interview of CSI Raymond Langston, with regard to the incident resulting in the death of Warner Thorpe aka Nate Haskell. CSI Langston has been informed of his administrative rights and understands the nature of this investigation. We will commence with CSI Langston's account of the facts in this case…"  
>Ray chose that moment to interrupt, cutting the other man off mid-stream.<br>"The fact is, that I killed a man."  
>Shultz leaned back in his chair, regarding the CSI.<br>"That's why you're here. The question is, how did you kill him? Was it self-defence? Or murder?"

The silence hung heavy between the two men before Ray took a breath.  
>"Murder."<p>

Catherine was mid-stride in her pacing when the door to the interrogation room banged open. The strawberry blonde supervisor span on her heels, knowing the eyes of the rest of her team had all swung in the same direction. All gazes fell on Officer Shultz. He regarded the assembled group briefly before turning to a nearby police officer.  
>"Read him his rights and take him to lock up."<br>Catherine's blue eyes widened as she stepped forward.  
>"Wait what? Why?"<br>Shultz narrowed his eyes at her.  
>"CSI Langston is being charged with the murder of Nate Haskell. I will be conducting a full investigation into the actions of CSI and Captain Brass as a result of this, as well as informing the Sheriff. Consider yourselves notified." The IAB officer strode away without a second thought to the visibly shattered group he left in his wake.<p>

The redhead barely had time to compose herself before Nick shot past her.  
>"Ray, what the hell? What did you say?"<br>The African American man shot a glance at each person gathered before him, his gaze locking with Catherine's.  
>"I'm sorry. I did what I had to do."<br>None of his former team mates were allowed a chance to say anything more as he was led away by the officer, hands cuffed behind his back. No one moved from their positions in the corridor, fear and confusion clawing at each of them. Catherine raised her eyes heavenward then closed them. The shit was definitely about to hit the fan, and she and Brass were smack bang in the middle of the splash zone.

Hope ya'll like it. I'll try and get another chapter up really soon, KC permitting.

Lily  
>-x-<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

KC is on a bit of a roll at the moment so here's chapter two, enjoy :)

Roughly thirty minutes later Catherine found herself sat in the Sheriff's office, Captain Jim Brass occupying the seat next to her, both of them facing Sheriff Keith Abbott and Under Sheriff Conrad Ecklie across a vast mahogany desk.  
>Abbott scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed; neither Catherine nor Jim dared to even glance at each other, the conversation they'd shared in Brass' office mere moments before she'd handed in her report playing through both of their minds.<br>Unsurprisingly, Ecklie was the first to speak.

"This whole situation is a mess."  
>Catherine had to bite back the caustic remark that sprang into her mouth, choosing to remain silent.<br>"I agree," Abbott continued. "I'm not going to sugar coat things, this looks bad. Not just for both of you, but the whole of CSI and the LVPD. I've read your statement Captain Brass. You were the first officer on the scene?"  
>Brass simply nodded.<br>"I've also read the report you filed Supervisor Willows." The strawberry blonde's head snapped up at the mention of her name. "CSI Langston's account contradicts the evidence."  
>"With all due respect Sir, my team and I studied the evidence thoroughly…"<br>"On a case involving a member of your own team. This whole thing screams cover up."  
>All eyes in the room shot to Ecklie, his gaze boring into Catherine.<p>

"You were there Conrad. You of all people were in a prime position to ascertain if anything was being covered up, don't you think? And besides, you had no problem with us investigating your predecessor, despite the case involving 'one of our own'." The redhead met his gaze, holding it without wavering until the other man looked away.

"Nevertheless, we have to take into account how this situation will look to the public," Sheriff Abbott took control of the conversation once more. "The pair of you will be suspended, without pay, until IAB finishes its investigation. Both your futures will depend on the outcome of this investigation. I'll need your guns and your credentials." Brass stood with a grunt, yanking his gun from his belt and his badge from his pocket before shoving them across the surface of the desk. In contrast, Catherine stood slowly, head held high, unclipping her gun and I.D., placing them in front of the Sheriff.  
>"You'll need to make yourselves available for IAB. They're going to want to speak to both of you about this." The redhead had to fight the urge to jump the desk and knock the smug look off Ecklie's face. Feeling Jim tense beside her she placed her hand briefly on his arm, her touch conveying the message that it wasn't worth it.<br>He shot one last dirty look at the two suits across the room then stalked out, the door banging loudly against the wall and reverberating around the office.

Catherine turned and left the room without a word, the sharp clicking of her heels reverberating along the corridor, emphasizing the frustration that was building with each step.

Hope ya'll like it  
>Lily<br>-x-


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys. Thanks so much for the reviews, it means a lot to know ya'll are enjoying the fic, even if the chapters are a little short. I'm working to try and post one a day, hopefully I'll be able to keep that up. Anyway, here's chapter three :)

Catherine had hoped to catch Brass before he left but as she exited the building and found his car nowhere in sight she realised she'd missed her chance. Sighing deeply she climbed into her own car and headed for the lab, intent on grabbing a few thing from her office then going home.  
>The strawberry blonde smiled a brief greeting at Judy the receptionist as she signed in and made a beeline for her office, grateful none of the lab rats saw her; she knew she would've had to face a barrage of questions if they had.<p>

Stepping inside her office she was only mildly surprised to find Nick, Sara and Greg waiting for her, their question filled eyes instantly landing on her form. Catherine shut the door with a soft click, moving across the room to stand behind her desk. She busied herself for a few moments with the task of selecting a couple of case files to review while on suspension before Nick broke the palpable silence that surrounded them.  
>"Ok, what the hell is going on around here? First Ray gets locked up by Schultz then you and Brass are hauled in by the Sheriff. What gives?"<p>

The redhead lifted her gaze from the desk top and sighed, pushing her bangs back from her forehead.  
>"Ray was arrested because he told IA Haskell was murdered, not killed in self-defence."<br>Three pairs of eyes widened a shocked gasp escaping Greg's lips. "Nick, you're in charge," she continued, sliding the files into her briefcase.  
>"They suspended you?" Sara beat the boys to the punch, an incredulous look masking her features. Catherine nodded mutely, pursing her lips.<br>"How long for?" Greg spoke finally.  
>"Until IAB has conducted a thorough investigation into my actions. Brass' too."<p>

The room descended into silence once more, the three CSIs all trying to digest the bombshell of information they'd just been dealt.  
>"This is stupid!" Nick exclaimed, springing to his feet with such force that it caused the chair he'd been occupying to topple over, landing with a crash on the floor. Everyone flinched as he stormed out of the office, the door banging loudly behind him.<br>Catherine's eyes locked with Sara's, the silent message 'Keep an eye on him while I'm gone' passing from the older woman to the younger. The brunette stood, a ghost of a smile flitting across her lips in lieu of a goodbye, then headed in the direction Nick had stalked.

The strawberry blonde picked up her briefcase and purse, slinging the latter over her shoulder and moved from behind her desk. Greg scrambled to his feet as she approached, surprising his supervisor by wrapping his arms around her in a fierce hug. Catherine raised her hands and returned the embrace, soothing the younger man as he clung to her.  
>"It'll be ok Greg, this whole mess will be sorted out soon and I'll be back before you know it." She tried to smile but it was no more than a twitch of her lips; a leaden feeling forming in her stomach as she tried to figure out who she was trying to convince, the former lab rat or herself.<p>

Tears sprang to her eyes and her heart ached as his mumbled response reached her ears. "Warrick was murdered, Grissom left. I won't let them take you away from us too."

Hope ya'll like it  
>Lily<br>-x-


	4. Chapter 4

Here's another chapter guys. Thanks so much for the reviews, they make me smile. Enjoy!

Jim Brass slammed the door of his apartment so violently that it shook the surrounding walls. He tossed his jacket and keys in opposite directions and stomped through to the kitchen, discarding his tie and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as he moved. Once he reached his destination he jerked open a cupboard, retrieving a three quarter full bottle of scotch. Choosing not to bother with the niceties of a glass Brass unscrewed the cap, raising the bottle to his lips and taking a long swallow of the amber liquid.  
>He barely winced as the liquor blazed a trail down his throat, pooling in his stomach and radiating heat throughout his body.<p>

"Stupid," he muttered, moving from his kitchen to the living room, plopping himself down on his couch with a loud sigh. He took another longer swallow of alcohol, cradling the neck of the bottle between his fingers. His mind wandered over the events of the last couple of days and he scrubbed his free hand over his face, bringing the bottle up to drain yet more scotch, hoping it would numb enough to con him into sleep.

At the time it had seemed like the right thing to do; Haskell was evil and his death would make certain no one else had to suffer at his hands. In a way he could also understand why Ray did it, having been tormented and played with by the psychotic killer for two years. But knowing what he did now, would he still have removed the flex cuffs from the scene, the act that had been the secondary cause of this train wreck? Brass sighed, the answer glaringly obvious; hindsight was always 20/20.

Never in a million years had the veteran cop expected Ray to admit to murder; he'd thought he'd been straight with the man when he'd found him at the crime scene, firmly but gently explaining that other people would suffer if he admitted to it. Apparently Ray hadn't quite got the message.  
>The other people. Jim's mind flitted to Catherine, remembering the way she'd held herself together in the Sheriff's office; despite being just as angry as he was, she'd conducted herself with the utmost grace and professionalism, both traits she'd possessed since the day he met her. He snorted at the empty room as he recalled the way he'd stormed out of the office, reminding him of his younger days back in Jersey when his captain had chewed him out and his temper had gotten the better of him.<br>Had Ray thought about the consequences his actions would hold for his supervisor when he'd spoken that single word, 'Murder'? And the knock on effect those consequences would have for the team he was leaving behind?

His train of thought then landed on Gloria. Had it occurred to Ray that Gloria would most likely be called back from the East Coast to testify at his trial? She'd been the only other person present at the time Haskell had been killed, it was logical that she be called to the stand.

Draining the last of the alcohol he regarded the container for a moment, studying it as he would a suspect in interrogation. With a lightening movement he pulled his arm back and hefted the glass bottle at the wall, watching it shatter into a thousand pieces. Brass couldn't help but wonder if that was what was about to happen to his career.

Hope ya'll like it  
>Lily<br>-x-


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys. Slightly longer chapter this time, which I'm sure ya'll will like. Time appears to have run away from me, I'm at a birthday party tonight and have to work tomorrow, so I won't be able to get chapter 6 up until Monday. Sorry! Anyway, here's chapter five. Enjoy

By the time Catherine pulled into her driveway her frustration had reached boiling point. She hated uncertainty and as of a few hours ago that had become the word which best described the future of her career. She entered the house locking the door behind her, dumped her keys, jacket and briefcase, kicked her shoes in the direction of the living room and headed straight for the kitchen. Pulling a bottle of Jack Daniels from the cupboard she retrieved a tumbler and poured a generous amount into it. She downed it in two swallows, wincing as the liquor hit the back of her throat, before refilling her glass and taking a large sip.

She tensed briefly as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, relaxing back against the chest they belonged to as realisation hit her.  
>"Must've been one hell of a rough day if you're making friends with Jack," Lou Vartann gestured towards the glass as he pressed a soft kiss to her temple. Catherine simply nodded. Lou leaned into her and reached up, pulling another tumbler from the shelf. At her raised eyebrow he merely shrugged. "It's no fun to drink alone." Indicating for her to grab the bottle he kept one arm round her waist and led her into the living room, earning a wry smile from his strawberry blonde girlfriend as he guided them round her discarded shoes so they could sit on the couch.<p>

Holding her glass between her knees Catherine unscrewed the cap and poured Lou a drink, placing the now half empty bottle on the coffee table. They sat in silence for a few moments, giving Catherine enough time to polish of the rest of the alcohol she had and pour some more.  
>"I heard Ray spoke to IAB."<br>The redhead sighed, leaning back against the couch and feeling Lou's fingers brush lightly against her shoulder.  
>"He told them he murdered Haskell, that it wasn't self-defence." His grip on her, shoulder increased, using the added pressure to pull her so that she was leaning against him. She took another long sip and relaxed against him.<br>"Then Brass and I get hauled in front of the Sheriff and Ecklie, the smug son of a bitch." Lou tried to stifle his chuckle but failed miserably. Thankfully the woman in his arms was too comfortable to care, the combination of his presence and the Jack beginning to soothe her strained nerves and melt away the stress of the day.

"What happened with the Sheriff?" Catherine gulped down the remnants of her third drink and leaned forward to pour herself a fourth before settling back into his embrace.  
>"Suspended me 'til IA completes a 'thorough investigation'. Brass too. They think we covered for Ray."<br>She felt Lou tense then press his lips to the top of her head.  
>"That's bull. IA can't find anything that's not there Cath. You'll be fine."<br>Catherine sighed again.  
>"There was bruising on Haskell's wrists that couldn't be explained. It was consistent with the department issue flex cuffs, but none were found at the scene and Ray had all three sets in his kit. Brass was the first officer on the scene." She paused, knowing Lou had grasped the meaning behind her words. "I'd have been hauled over the coals if I'd made allegations that serious without solid evidence to back them up, not to mention potentially discrediting a friend. Everything we had was circumstantial."<br>Lou nodded and sipped his drink, understanding the impossible situation she'd been in. He doubted, however, that IA would be as understanding as him.  
>"What do you think is gonna happen?"<br>Catherine sighed deeply and drained the last of the alcohol from her glass.

"Honestly? I have no idea. Worst case scenario, they fire me."  
>Lou shook his head. "They'd never do that. You're too much of an asset to the lab and they know it. They fire you and you'll have a dozen other labs beating down your door to offer you a job. You are the number two blood spatter analyst in the country." He hugged her close and she couldn't help the small laugh that escaped.<p>

The handsome detective grasped her wrist, gently sliding the glass from her grasp and setting it on the coffee table along with his own.  
>"C'mon, time to get you into bed."<br>Her eyebrow rose and he chuckled. "As fun as that would be, you need rest. I doubt you've slept much, if at all, since this whole Ray thing started."  
>He stood and pulled her up with him. She let out a squeak of protest as he lifted her up into his arms and moved across the room, flipped off the lights as he went.<p>

"I can walk you know," she scolded half-heartedly, wrapping her arms around his neck while he carried her up the stairs.  
>"I know," was his only response before he entered their bedroom and kicked the door shut.<p>

Hope ya'll like it  
>Lily<br>-x-


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys. KC is on a bit of a roll at the moment, so here's another chpater for this fic :) Hope you like it

The next morning at 9:00am sharp – far too early for the amount of alcohol he'd consumed the night before – Jim was sat in an interrogation room opposite Officer Shultz and a video camera.  
>"I'm sure you're well aware of your rights Captain Brass but I'm going to do this by the book," Shultz explained as he began reading Jim the Miranda rights that he'd committed to memory long before Shultz had been born.<br>The older man suppressed a loud sigh and rubbed his temple.

"I am interviewing Captain James Brass of the Las Vegas Police Department as part of the investigation into the actions of LVPD and CSI regarding the events surrounding the death of Warner Thorpe aka Nate Haskell at the hands of CSI Level Two Raymond Langston." Shultz paused, meeting Brass' unwavering gaze. "Captain Brass you were one of the first officers to arrive on scene is that correct?"  
>"Yes."<br>The Internal Affairs officer consulted his notes for a few moments.  
>"You were also the first person to speak to CSI Langston were you not?"<p>

"Yes."  
>Shultz huffed out an irritated breath.<br>"Captain Brass, there is evidence that Nate Haskell was restrained prior to his death. Did you observe anything in the room that could've been used?"  
>"Only the chains and fish hooks that were used on Gloria," Jim spat, causing Shultz to recoil. "Look, everything I 'observed' was documented in my report. If you have any questions about the evidence I suggest you ask CSI."<p>

Shultz regarded him for a few moments. Jim held his eyes, refusing to back down. The tension crackled across the table, palpable as heartbeat. Minutes passed before Shultz broke the deadlock.  
>"I fully intend to."<p>

That afternoon Catherine arrived at PD, a few hours after receiving a phone call that demanded her presence. The clicking of her heels beat out a steady rhythm as she advanced along the corridor. Her pace slowed as she approached Lou's office. She met his gaze as she passed and answered his wink of encouragement with a small smile.

Catherine came to a stop outside the designated interrogation room, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and entered, the door clicking softly shut behind her.

After ten minutes of trying to concentrate on the file in front of him, Lou sighed loudly and closed it, muttering a curse about his office's proximity to the interrogation room. He had every faith in Catherine, but Shultz? He snorted. He didn't trust that little weasel as far as he could throw him.  
>The sound of a throat being cleared directed his attention to his open door. His brow furrowed slightly as Sara stepped inside, took a seat opposite him and opened a file. He hadn't worked a case with her for a few weeks; the particular file she was holding was for a case he'd worked with Nick. He was about to voice this to her when she cut him off, her eyes never leaving the page.<p>

"I was here on another matter and heard Shultz had called Catherine in for an interview. Figured I'd represent the ream and let her know that we're all behind her and that we're thinking of her."  
>Lou suppressed a smiled and turned his attention to his computer.<br>"I'm sure she'll appreciate that."  
>A few beats passed before Sara leaned forward, placed the file on the desk and gestured to a random part.<br>"How is she?"

From anyone else Lou would've dismissed the question as snooping, but he knew how much the rest of the team respected and cared for Catherine; the fact that they weren't allowed to speak to her until the investigation was resolved couldn't be easy on any of them.  
>Keeping up the ruse he pretended to read what she had indicated.<br>"Ok I guess. But you know Catherine, always the strong one. This whole thing is taking its toll on her though, I can tell."  
>Sara nodded sympathetically, chancing a glance over her shoulder at the closed door.<br>Lou followed her gaze, both aching to know what was transpiring behind it.

Hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter, I'll try and get the next one up soon :)  
>Lily<br>-x-


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys. Hope ya'll haven't given up on me. Here's another chapter. Less than a week til the new season starts!

After entering the interrogation room Catherine had slid herself into the chair opposite Shultz. The latter had barely acknowledged her presence, his eyes remaining fixed on the file in front of him. Just as the strawberry blonde was beginning to lose patience, Shultz looked up, switched on the video camera and proceeded to put Catherine through the same rigmarole of reading her rights as he'd done with Brass.  
>When he was finished he glanced down at his notes, gathered his thoughts and began.<p>

"Supervisor Willows, you and your team first became acquainted with Warner Thorpe, aka Nate Haskell roughly two years ago?"  
>"That's correct."<br>"And despite all of the serious events that transpired between CSI Ray Langston and the victim, he was still permitted to work cases that involved Haskell?"  
>"I had faith that Ray would remain objective."<br>"Seems to me that faith was a little misplaced."  
>Catherine bristled slightly. "Was there a question in there somewhere?"<p>

Shultz paused for a moment, consulted his notes then continued.  
>"Let's get back to the matter of Haskell's murder. I would find it odd that your team was allowed to head the investigation into one of your own, but it happened before didn't it? With Warrick Brown?"<br>Beneath the cover of the table Catherine's hands clenched tightly into fists as she fought the urge to leap the table and knock the cocky IA rat out.  
>"I thought we were getting back to the matter of Ray and Haskell. Warrick Brown has no bearing on this situation. I suggest you stick to the current investigation Officer."<p>

A beat or two passed in silence, neither Catherine nor Shultz wanting to back down and break eye contact. The redhead felt a bolt of triumph course through her when Shultz looked away first.  
>"Dr Albert Robbins, the coroner who performed the victim's autopsy, noted some bruising around the wrists consistent with the victim being restrained prior to his death." Before the man could continue Catherine couldn't help but interrupt.<p>

"You call Haskell 'a victim' like he was innocent. He was far from it. He was a monster who murdered dozens of people, including law enforcement officers, and brought nothing but misery and suffering to the world. Haskell may be a lot of things Officer Shultz, but he most certainly isn't an innocent victim. He was pure evil."  
>Shultz seemed to consider her words for a few moments before continuing as if she hadn't said anything at all.<br>"This bruising is believed to be consistent with the department issue flex cuffs that are a standard piece of equipment in every kit. Were you aware of these findings?"  
>"I read Dr Robbins' report and then consulted the physical evidence my team had gathered…"<br>"You mean CSIs Nicholas Stokes, Sara Sidle and Gregory Sanders?"

"I know who my team are Officer," Catherine snapped. "No flex cuffs had been found at the scene or logged into evidence."  
>"Maybe one of your team missed them, or forgot to log them in."<br>The strawberry blonde shook her head. "My guys are the best, there's no way they would've made a rookie mistake like that."

"So you simply ignored these findings?"  
>"I made a mention of the matter in my report."<br>"Yet you offered no explanation for the conflicting evidence!"  
>"I'm a scientist Officer Shultz. Any explanation I had to offer would have been mere supposition on my part, there was nothing concrete to provide a satisfactory answer."<p>

"What about the glaringly obvious answer Supervisor Willows!" Catherine's eyes widened as the volume of his voice increased. "What about the possible scenario that everyone seems to be ignoring? Captain Brass was the first officer in the room with CSI Langston. Captain Brass would have had ample time and opportunity to remove any flex cuffs. Captain Brass was in a prime position to orchestrate a cover up. And it would've worked, only no one counted on CSI Langston suddenly growing a conscience and confessing!"

His last words hung in the air between them, the room seeming to quake under the strength of his outburst. Catherine remained silent for a few moments then took a deep breath. Her tone was measured and calm when she spoke.  
>"There were no flex cuffs found at the scene." Shultz opened his mouth to speak but the look Catherine gave him caused his words to stick in his throat. "CSI Langston had all three sets of flex cuffs present in his kit, something which I also noted in my report. There was nothing to suggest that Captain Brass had tampered with the scene in any way. I was not about to make allegations that serious against a respected, decorated police officer without sufficient evidence to back them up." She rose from her chair and crossed to the door.<p>

"Supervisor Willows we aren't done!"  
>Catherine paused, the door half open. "I am. If you have any further questions for me you know how I can be reached." She left without another word, and without allowing Shultz another opportunity to try and call her back, letting the door swing shut behind her.<br>She barely registered the concerned faces of Sara and Lou as she passed his office; her primary goal was to reach her car and get the hell out of there.

With every step she took the sick, leaden feeling in her stomach intensified.  
>As Catherine pushed through the doors and out into the heat of the afternoon one thought span round her mind like a tornado: <em>It's over<em>.

I'll try and get a couple more chapters done before next Wednesday night :)  
>Hope ya'll enjoyed it<br>Lily  
>-x-<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

*LE GASP* Two chapters in two days! Don't go fainting from shock before ya'll read it though! Dedicated to Suzanne, just 'cause :)

Both Sara and Lou had been more than a little anxious after seeing Catherine storm out of the interrogation room. They'd followed her into the parking lot just in time to see her car pull out and drive away.  
>"What do you think happened?"<br>"I don't know," Lou replied, pulling out his cell phone. "But it can't be good.

Sara had left Lou trying, and failing, to reach Catherine. She knew if she went home she wouldn't sleep so chose instead to return to the lab. She headed to the break room for a much needed caffeine fix and was surprised to find both Nick and Greg sat there, nursing their own cups.  
>"Don't you two have homes to go to?" she joked half-heartedly, grabbing some coffee and joining them at the table.<br>Greg shrugged and answered for both of them. "We didn't feel like it."

The group lapsed into a heavy silence, each occupied with their own thoughts.  
>Greg was the first to break it.<br>"How'd it go at P.D.?"  
>"Alright." She paused for a moment. "I.A. called Catherine in." Both men looked at her.<br>"Did you see her? Talk to her?"  
>"How did it go?"<br>His question was the first time Nick had spoken since she'd arrived.  
>"I didn't speak to her. The last time I saw her she… she'd stormed out of the interrogation room. Vartann was trying to call her when I left. I'm guessing it didn't go that well."<p>

Greg sighed. Nick was still for a moment before banging his mug down on the table, spilling coffee and making his companions jump.  
>"This is stupid! This whole damn thing just stinks man!" Before Greg or Sara could say any more he stood and stalked off. Both of them winced as they heard the deafening slam of the locker room door down the hall.<p>

"It's bad isn't it?" Greg's voice sounded small when he finally spoke again. Sara didn't respond, but reached across the table and placed her hand over his, squeezing gently.  
>It was all the answer Greg needed.<p>

Catherine had driven around aimlessly for a while, her mind not focussed on her destination. All she could do was run the events that had transpired during the I.A. interview round and round her mind, like a movie on a continuous reel.  
>Before long she found herself pulling up outside the Eclipse. The young valet recognised her immediately and scrambled to open her door. She offered him a small smile as she exited her vehicle, handing him her keys and walking into the hotel. More or less all the staff knew her and greeted her as she passed; she responded each time with a 'hello' and a small smile. Catherine meandered her way across the casino floor, ignoring the larger bar near the front and heading for the small lounge bar near the back.<br>It was dimly lit, the soft strains of a piano playing. Her mother had said it reminded her of Old Vegas; Sam would have loved it.  
>She hopped onto a stool at the far end of the bar, but before she could signal to Jack the bartender he appeared in front of her. Catherine smiled, knowing that he'd probably clocked her the second she'd walked in.<p>

"Hey Ms Willows, what'll it be?" Even though he was only in his twenties, Jack was cute, enthusiastic and a damn good bartender. Lily had commented that there was something about him that reminded her of Sam.  
>"Double Jack on the rocks, and how many times do I have to tell you to call me Catherine?" she mock-reprimanded and he flushed slightly before mixing her drink, setting it down in front of her.<br>He noted her choice of liquor, combined with the way she tossed back half of it in one go and waited until she swallowed before asking the age old bartender question.  
>"Rough day?"<br>Catherine huffed out a laugh and swirled the ice around in her glass, listening to the soft clinking sound it made.  
>"You could say that."<p>

Jack grabbed the cloth from his apron and began casually wiping the bar, making Catherine feel like she was in one of those old black and white noir movies; the tragic dame spilling her guts to the sympathetic bartender. She drained the rest of the alcohol from her glass and Jack refilled it without being asked, leaving the bottle nearby.

Catherine had just taken a sip from her third drink when Jack's demeanour changed; he stiffened, his eyes becoming hard. The strawberry blonde glanced over her shoulder then faced Jack again, reassuring him with a simple look. The young man relaxed and turned to his new customer.  
>"What can I get you?"<br>"A beer, thanks," Lou replied, settling himself on the stool next to Catherine. Jack complied, serving Lou and leaving the bottle of Jack Daniels within Catherine's reach before moving away; he sensed the couple would want a little privacy.

"You can be a tough woman to track down Catherine Willows," Lou said after taking a sip of beer. The woman in question merely shrugged and took a gulp of her drink. He was silent for a few moments, just watching her.  
>"Do you want to talk about it?" Catherine refilled her glass, swirling the amber liquid round with a slender finger.<br>"Shultz is convinced Brass removed flex cuffs from the scene and disposed of them, that he tried to cover up the fact that Ray murdered Haskell. There's no concrete evidence to back that up though."  
>"What do you think?"<br>"Like I said, there's no evid…" she began but Lou cut her off, placing a hand lightly on her arm.  
>"I didn't ask what the evidence says Cath, I asked what you think."<p>

She sighed and took a long swallow.  
>"I don't know. In my heart I don't want to believe Jim would tamper with a crime scene and break the law like that. I've known him for a long time; he's a good man and a great cop." The redhead sighed again and Lou laced his fingers with hers, giving her hand a supportive squeeze. "But my gut says that I have to at least acknowledge there's a possibility. It seems like the only logical explanation. That doesn't mean I have to admit that to Shultz. I'm not about to shove Jim in front of the firing squad when there's no real evidence, just supposition and gut feelings."<br>She drained her drink and set her glass down on the bar.  
>"You're amazing, you know that?"<br>"I do," she shot back with a small smile.

Lou chuckled and leaned forward, stealing a quick kiss before standing and pulling Catherine to her feet, their hands remaining entwined.  
>"Take me home copper."<p>

Thanks for the reviews everyone. Hope ya'll like this chapter :)  
>Lily<br>-x-


	9. Chapter 9

New chapter. Hope ya'll like it. Dedicated to Suzanne, cause she's awesome, and to Lisa cause she was Skype chatting with me while I typed this out :)

The next morning Catherine woke late; the digital display from the alarm clock on her side of the bed proclaimed that it was a little after noon. She yawned and stretched, smiling as she felt Lou tighten his grip on her waist.  
>"Hmmm… Morning." His voice was still heavy with sleep as he spoke the pressed a kiss to her neck. She felt him shift, then squealed as he rolled them over, landing so he was on his back with her head resting on his chest.<p>

"A little warning next time if you don't mind," she scolded playfully, leaning up to kiss him. They broke apart after a few moments and Catherine reclaimed her place on his chest once she'd rearranged the sheets over them.  
>"This is nice," he mumbled, running his finger up and down her bare back. She made a sound of approval and snuggled closer, tangling her legs with his.<p>

"I don't even have a hangover."  
>Lou snorted. "You should, the amount of alcohol you put away last night. I've never met a woman who can drink that much."<br>"It's the Irish in me." She looked up at him and smirked. "I also think working up a sweat before I went to sleep helped. Got rid of all the toxins." He groaned and pressed his lips hard against hers, pulling back after a few long moments.  
>"There is no way I'm letting you leave this bed today," he said with a growl. Catherine giggled and he pulled her closer, a shiver running down her spine at the thought.<br>"Sounds good to me detective."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, one of Catherine's hands ghosting over Lou's chest causing goose bumps to form on his flesh.  
>"That bartender definitely has the death glare down. It's almost as scary as yours." The strawberry blonde chuckled. "I'm serious! He looked like he was about to kill me when I walked over to you last night."<br>"Oh Jack's harmless," she replied. "He just gets a little protective when I'm there alone. He was fine when he realised you were my guy."

Lou's eyebrow rose. "Your guy? You call me your guy?"  
>"Well, 'boyfriend' just sounds far too… high school. What would you prefer? 'Partner'? 'Lover'?" She laughed.<br>"How about husband?" he replied quietly.

Her eyes widened and she jerked her head to look at him, holding his gaze for a long moment.  
>"What did you say?" she whispered.<br>Lou cleared his throat and opened his mouth to respond when the shrill sound of Catherine's cell phone broke the silence. She groaned and rolled away from him, grabbing the offending item from the bedside table.  
>"Leave it," Lou said as she glanced at the display, feeling her stomach drop.<p>

"I can't," she replied. "It's Ecklie." She pressed a button and brought the phone to her ear. She didn't have time to utter a greeting before the voice on the other end was barking orders. She rolled her eyes as she listened.  
>"Fine," was all she said before she hung up and slid out of bed.<br>"The Sherriff and Ecklie want to see me immediately," she told Lou as she dressed. "I'm guessing Shultz finished his investigation."

Once she was fully clothed she slipped on her shoes and headed for the door.  
>"Uh, we'll talk when I get home ok?" Catherine offered a small smile then left, shutting the door softly behind her.<p>

Lou leaned back against the pillows, closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He couldn't shake the feeling he'd just ruing everything.

Catherine was hardly surprised to see Jim waiting outside Sherriff Abbott's office when she arrived. He looked up as she approached and moved his jacket so she could sit beside him.  
>"How long have you been waiting?" she asked once she was seated.<br>"About twenty minutes. Ecklie calls me wanting me here like yesterday and I'm left waiting. Pisses me off."  
>Catherine nodded in agreement.<p>

"How you been?" Jim glanced at her.  
>"Ok, considering. What about you?" Jim pulled a face and Catherine bit back a chuckle. "That good huh?"<br>"You have no idea," he sighed. "This whole thing feels like a giant nightmare I can't wake up from."  
>The redhead placed a hand on his arm, her heart aching for her friend.<p>

Suddenly the door to the office opened and Ecklie stuck his head out, a smarmy smile on his face.  
>"We're ready for you."<br>Both Catherine and Jim stood and entered the office, Jim closing the door behind them. They took their seats – coincidentally the same ones they'd occupied a few days prior – and waited for the Sherriff to look up from the file he was reading.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity he looked up, levelling the two people opposite him with an unreadable gaze.  
>"I've just finished reading Officer Shultz's report. While he has no real proof of any criminal conduct by either of you, neither of you come out looking good." He turned his attention to Jim. "Captain Brass, Shultz makes some very serious allegations about your involvement in a possible cover up of the true motives behind the death of Nate Haskell. While there is no evidence to fully substantiate them and level criminal charges against you, they cannot be ignored." He paused for a moment, leaning back in his chair and removing his glasses. Catherine side spied Jim but his face was a stone mask.<br>"I want you to understand that this was not something I came to lightly. That being said, I have made the decision to demote you to Lieutenant. You will be issued a new badge once your suspension is up. An official reprimand will be placed in your file."

Catherine's eyes widened; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She turned and stared at the man next to her, her heart aching for her long-time colleague and friend. Jim's eyes blazed, his jaw clenched much like his fists.  
>"For the record, this is a pile of crap," Jim spat out.<br>"Thank you for that _Lieutenant _Brass," Ecklie sneered, the emphasis he put on Jim's new title enraging both he and Catherine. "Your statement will be noted."  
>"Go to hell Conrad! You don't have to look so pleased about this," Catherine raged. "This is a man's career we're talking about here!"<br>"Ms Willows I suggest you lower you're tone," Abbott interrupted, afraid there would be a blood bath in his office if he didn't. "Officer Shultz had plenty to say about you as well."

The strawberry blonde glared at Ecklie, wanting nothing more than to knock the smug look off his face, preferably along with a few teeth from his mouth.  
>"He accuses you of deliberately omitting things from your report."<br>"There was no hard evidence, only supposition. I was not about to make serious, career ending allegations against a colleague with nothing substantial to back them up. I made a note of the coroner's findings, anything else would have been assumption and guesswork, not something I put much faith is as a scientist."  
>Ecklie opened his mouth to say something, but the look he got from Catherine made him reconsider.<br>Abbott sighed.

"As with Lieutenant Brass none of your actions can result in criminal charges being brought against you, but they do call a lot of things into question."  
>Catherine's eyebrow rose.<br>"Like what exactly?"  
>Before Sherriff Abbott could respond, Ecklie's asinine voice cut in.<br>"About whether you're still an asset to this lab."

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that I was talking to the organ grinder, not the monkey," she shot back, causing Jim to cough to cover a laugh. The undersheriff narrowed his eyes but decided against further comment, a wise choice in Jim's opinion. Had she still been in possession of her gun, the former captain had no doubt in his mind that she would have used it had Ecklie said anything more.  
>Abbott shot him a look of disdain before continuing.<br>"About your effectiveness as a leader."

Catherine's heart dropped as realization hit.  
>"You're demoting me too."<br>The Sherriff nodded.  
>"I feel it's for the best."<p>

Catherine leaned back in her chair, feeling like someone had punched her in the gut. The thought 'Grissom would never have let this happen' flitted through her mind briefly and she shook her head to dispel it; there would be plenty of time for self-flagellation when she was alone.

Steeling herself, she looked Abbott straight in the eye.  
>"Nick will make a great supervisor."<br>The man opposite shifted slightly under her gaze; out of the corner of her eye she saw Ecklie's grin grow.  
>!I felt it best to bring in someone new, new blood for the graveshift."<br>The strawberry blonde felt her blood beginning to boil.  
>"You think the answer to all this is to bring in a stranger, someone we know nothing about? My team is solid Sherriff, and they're damn good. They don't need someone from God knows where telling them what to do."<p>

"The decision has already been made. You are to bring him up to speed with regards to everything he needs to know, finish your suspension then report for duty as normal."  
>"Or you can quit," Ecklie sneered.<br>Catherine shot him a dirty look.  
>"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction Conrad."<br>Before anything else could be said there was a knock at the door. Catherine and Ecklie were still glaring at each other as the Sherriff shouted for the person to enter. All eyes in the room turned as the door opened, revealing a tall man with ash grey hair and black glasses.

Unsurprisingly, Ecklie was the first to speak.  
>"Catherine, we'd like you to meet your replacement, D.B. Russell."<br>The man in question winced minutely at the introduction, though his smile of greeting never faltered.

"Is this a bad time?"

Thanks for the reviews, they're much appreciated  
>Lily<br>-x-


	10. Chapter 10

Hey guys. Here's chapter 10. Hope ya'll like it :) Thanks so much for the reviews, they make my day.

After a brief series of introductions and explanations, Catherine stood and swiftly left the office, D.B. Russell hot on her heels. Given the substantial height difference between them, it only took him a few long strides to catch up.  
>"I'll take you to the lab, I can get you caught up on our active cases, show you where everything is then introduce you to the team when they arrive; they normally get in a little early," she reeled off once he'd fallen in step with her.<br>"Sounds good to me," he replied.

Once they exited the building, Catherine instructed him to follow her to the lab; they both had separate cars and it meant she could go straight home when she was finished.  
>On the drive over she watched her speed and periodically checked her rear view mirror to make sure he was still behind her. As she drove, one thought kept wandering through her mind; <em>How am I going to tell them?<em>

They arrived at the lab and parked next to each other then walked inside. Judy the receptionist smiled at Catherine as they approached.  
>"Hi Ms Willows," she greeted, eying D.B. warily as Catherine signed in.<br>"Hi Judy," Catherine replied then turned to the man next to her. "You'll need to sign in and be given a visitors pass 'til you get your permanent ID from Human Resources."  
>"Oh that's not a problem. I have my ID already." He fished around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out the plastic card, showing it to Judy.<p>

"What?" The redhead was visibly shocked. "When did you get that?"  
>"The Sherriff gave it to me yesterday when I got into town," he replied, signing his name on the log in sheet. By the time he turned back to her, she'd managed to put a more neutral expression on her face.<br>"Well, that makes things a little easier." She ignored the quizzical look on Judy's face and led D.B. into the lab.

She spent the next forty five minutes showing him all around the lab, telling him the names of the lab techs he'd be working with on Grave, took him to the morgue then ended up in her office. As she grabbed up the pile of active case files that were on her desk, D.B. did a 360, looking around the room. She caught him and he smiled wryly.  
>"Nice office."<br>"Thanks, although I guess it's yours now. I'll make arrangements to have my things moved to the shared office." She didn't like the idea of working in Gil's old office; it had been the reason she gave it to Nick in the first place.  
>"That's not necessary. I'm sure there's another office somewhere here that I can use."<br>"I doubt it. We're pretty short on office space, that's why Nick, Sara and Greg have been sharing."  
>D.B. simply shrugged. Catherine straightened and raised an eyebrow.<br>"It seems like you were blindsided about me being brought in to take over your position as supervisor, I don't want to add insult to injury by taking your office as well."

Catherine wasn't quite sure how to respond, so she simply smiled.  
>"Why don't we get you caught up on these cases?" she indicated the pile in front of her.<br>"Sure thing." He took a seat opposite her and they spent the next few hours going over all the active cases Grave had. They had just finished when Catherine leaned back to stretch her aching back. Lifting her head she caught sight of Greg walking along the corridor.

She stood quickly, causing D.B. to look at her strangely.  
>"My… the team just started arriving. I'd like to speak to them first before I introduce you. If you don't mind," she added as a courtesy.<br>"Not a problem. Take as long as you need." Catherine smiled gratefully and hurried from the room, finding Greg pouring a cup of coffee in the break room. She watched him for a few moments, knowing he would probably take the news hard. She was just about to speak when he turned around, grinning when he saw her.  
>"Cath! You're back!" He put his mug down and darted over to her, wrapping her in a big hug. "It's so good to see you! We've all missed you!"<br>She was just about to respond when he pulled away. "Hey guys, look who's back!" Catherine turned and came face to face with Nick and Sara, both smiling. Hugs and greetings were exchanged; although when Sara pulled back she frowned slightly, noticing the look in the older woman's eyes.

"Looks like your reign of terror is over Nick," Greg teased. The Texan placed a hand over his hear, feigning hurt.  
>"I wasn't that bad, was I Sar?"<br>"I plead the fifth," the brunette grinned and Nick pouted.  
>"What is this, 'Pick on Nick Day'?"<br>"You should know by now it's always Pick on Nick Day," Greg shot back.  
>Catherine stood watching the good natured banter, hating that she was about to put a damper on things.<br>"Guys, now that you're all here I need to talk to you."  
>"Don't worry Boss Lady, we had no problems while you were gone. I made sure they behaved," Nick smirked, not quite realising that the smile he got in response was mostly fake.<p>

"I don't doubt that Nicky, but that's not what I need to talk about. I was called in to a meeting with the Sherriff and Ecklie earlier."  
>The mood among the group quickly became sombre, all three CSIs staying silent, waiting to hear what she had to say. "Officer Shultz has concluded his investigation; apparently I don't come out looking very good. The Sherriff has made some decisions based on the report. And he's decided that Grave Shift needs a new supervisor." She watched their faces fall.<br>"They fired you?" Nick looked like he was about to explode.  
>"No, no," Catherine cut in quickly. "I've been demoted. I'll still be working here; you just won't have to call me 'Boss Lady' anymore." She tried to smile but she couldn't quite manage more than a slight twitch of her lips.<p>

"They can demote you? Just like that?"  
>The strawberry blonde turned her attention to Sara and shrugged.<br>"They have. I'm only here tonight so I can tell you, show the new guy around and introduce him. Then I'm finishing out my suspension and returning to work as normal the week after next."  
>"Who is this guy?"<br>"His name is D.B. Russell, he's been brought in specifically to take over as Supervisor. I'll go get him."

Catherine turned and left the room. She was part way down the corridor when Nick called her name. He faced him and he jogged over to her.  
>"I'm not gonna be his assistant supervisor." She started to interrupt but he cut her off. "You promoted me, you gave me that chance and I'm so grateful to you. But assisting someone else wouldn't feel right; my loyalty is with you."<br>Catherine felt a lump forming in her throat; she had to blink a couple of times to rid her eyes of the tears that sprang at his words.  
>"That's sweet Nicky, but do me a favor? Think about it. Seriously. And give him a chance. I know you're mad at how I've been treated but don't take it out on him ok? He seems nice enough so far."<p>

Nick sighed and nodded minutely. The former supervisor smiled and hugged him, rubbing her hand over his back. After a few moments she pulled back.  
>"Guess I better go get him."<br>Nick nodded again. "Yea, no sense in putting of his baptism of fire any longer."  
>"Nicky," she drew his name out. "Be nice. I don't want you to scare the poor guy away before he's even worked a shift."<br>He raised his hands, a mock innocent expression covering his handsome features.  
>Catherine shook her head and chuckled slightly, then continued down the hall to her office.<p>

Nick watched her go, in awe of her attitude considering the awful way she'd been treated by the higher ups. He made a silent promise that he wouldn't be too hard on the new guy, for no other reason than it was what Catherine wanted.

Hope ya'll like it  
>Lily<br>-x-


	11. Chapter 11

Hey guys. Hope ya'll like chapter 11. Thanks for all the reviews, they're awesome :)

By the time Catherine got home it was late and the house was dark. Once she'd dumped her things and kicked off her shoes she flipped on a lamp in the living room the headed for the kitchen. Her heart sank when she saw a note from Lou on the microwave; he'd been called in to work and had left some dinner for her, telling her not to wait up.  
>She'd been hoping to talk to him about his… proposal wasn't quite the right word, but that's certainly where the conversation would have gone had they not been interrupted. She sighed. The million dollar question was: Did she want to get married again? Unfortunately the answer seemed to be eluding her, at least for now.<p>

Deciding he wasn't particularly hungry she left the food where it was, grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass and headed back into the living room.  
>She'd just settled on the couch when there was a knock at the door. She sighed loudly then crossed to the door. Pulling it open she was more than a little surprised to see Jim standing there.<br>"Jim? Are you ok?"  
>He looked at her, a sheepish expression on his face. "Is this a bad time? I don't want to interrupt anything."<p>

Catherine grabbed his arm and guided him inside, shutting the door with a soft click.  
>"Nothing to interrupt except my own thoughts, but they're driving me crazy anyway," she replied with a wry smile. Instructing him to sit, she padded to the kitchen, grabbed another glass and returned, pouring him some wine before flopping down on the couch and reclaiming her drink.<br>He took a sip of wine.  
>"I didn't mean to intrude, I just…"<br>"Didn't feel like being alone?" she finished and he nodded. "It's ok Jim, I understand. After the day you've had I don't blame you."

"You've been through the ringer today too don't forget." He chuckled at the face she pulled.  
>"I'd rather forget to be honest." He watched as his long-time friend sighed and took a sip of wine. "You should've seen them when I told them I'd been demoted Jim. Nick, Sara, Greg, they all looked so deflated."<br>"That's because you're a great leader Cath, they all respect and look up to you. Plus let's face it, they've had to deal with a hell of a lot of change in the past few years; it's bound to affect them."  
>She nodded and sipped her wine.<br>"What about you? That was some kick in the pants Abbott dealt you."  
>The lieutenant shrugged,<br>"I saw it coming; I'd actually expected to be kicked back to detective."

She shook her head.  
>"There's no way he could've justified that Jim, you're a decorated officer. I can't imagine the rest of the department will be happy when they find out; they'd be up in arms is you'd been demoted that far."<br>"I guess all I have to do is wait and find out who my replacement will be."  
>"You mean they didn't decide two days ago?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Jim's eyebrow rose, his unspoken question evident. "Oh yea, D.B. arrived in town yesterday; they must've offered him the job earlier. I've been shafted, but unlike you I didn't see it coming."<br>"Bastards," he growled and drained his glass.

Silence blanketed the room for a few long moments before Jim spoke again.  
>"Shouldn't the guy be working with Doc Robbins with a name like D.B.?"<br>Catherine couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped. Jim grinned as he watched his long-time friend dissolve into giggles.  
>A few minutes passed before her laughing subsided. She took a couple of deep breaths and wiped her eyes; her cheeks were flushed with the combination of wine and mirth.<br>"Thanks Jim, I think I needed that."  
>"Anytime."<p>

Catherine shook her head and chuckled quietly.  
>"How long have you been sitting on that?"<br>"Since he walked into Abbott's office and Ecklie introduced him. Figured I'd save it 'til just the right moment." He placed his glass on the coffee table and rose. Off her look he simply said,  
>"One's my limit when I'm driving. And besides, I've taken up enough of your evening." A quick glance at the clock on the wall produced a wry smile.<br>"Make that night."  
>Catherine stood as well, walking with him to the door.<p>

"I've always got time for you James Brass and don't you forget it."  
>They exchanged smiled in place of actual goodbyes, and Jim surprised both of them by pulling her into a brief hug.<br>"You're one of my closest friends Cath, you know that right?" he asked as he pulled back.  
>She simply nodded. With one last wave he left, and Catherine locked the door and returned to the couch, intent on having one more glass of wine before bed.<p>

A couple of hours later, the empty wine bottle sat next to the equally empty glass on the coffee table, the strawberry blonde curled up fast asleep on the couch.

Thanks for reading!  
>Lily<br>-x-


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys. Not gonna say anything specific cause I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't seen it but DAYUM CSI was AWESOME Wednesday night! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope ya'll like it and thanks so much for the reviews.

A while later, thin shafts of sunlight had begun to stream through the gaps in the blinds. Catherine shifted and groaned, her eyes fluttering open as she sat up slowly causing the blanket to pool around her waist. She glanced around the room, noting that the wine glass and bottle were missing from the coffee table, then groaned again when she saw it was 6:06am.  
>Untangling the blanket from her legs and folding it she stood, padding her way upstairs towards the bedroom.<p>

She'd just shut the door behind her when Lou came out of the bathroom with a towel resting low on his hips, his toned body still glistening wet from the shower. He stopped short when he saw her.  
>"Hey. I thought you were still asleep."<br>She cleared her throat before answering, trying not to be so distracted by his state of undress.  
>"The sun woke me up. How was work?"<br>"Boring. I've got no idea why I was even called in," he replied, moving past her to his dresser. Catherine felt a pang of sadness; in the months they'd been living together this was the first time he hadn't greeted her with a kiss, even just on the cheek.

She watched as he pulled on a pair of boxers and moved back into the bathroom to hang his towel up once he'd dried his hair a bit. When he returned Catherine shifted, placing herself in his path.  
>She took a deep breath then spoke.<br>"Lou, we need to talk about yesterday."  
>The handsome detective sighed. "I figured." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Let's get this over with."<br>"If Ecklie hadn't called I think I have an idea where that conversation was headed."  
>"Yet you still left."<br>Catherine bristled slightly. "You say that as if I had a choice! Do you honestly think I'd rather be sat in a meeting bring told I'm demoted, then spend the rest of the day inducting my replacement and breaking the news to the team than be here with you?"

Lou's eyes widened. "They demoted you?"  
>The strawberry blonde shook her head. "We'll talk about that later. Now answer my question."<br>"He shrugged. "Maybe, if you didn't want to hear what I was about to say."  
>"Oh for God's sake! I knew as soon as you told me you'd prefer to be called my husband! If I was going to leave I'd have done it then!"<p>

"Do you have any idea how long I've been sitting on proposing to you?" He shouted, jumping to his feet. "Months Catherine! I spent months trying to decide if it was the right thing to do. After all the ups and downs we'd had I felt we were in a good place, so I decided to take a chance and go for it. The I had to wait for the right moment, and I got the perfect opportunity yesterday. But you left!"  
>"Not through choice!" she yelled back. "If Ecklie called there would've been no reason for me to leave."<br>"So what? You'd have stayed and said no?"  
>"Are you psychic now?" she snapped, then drew in a deep breath.<p>

"After I divorced Eddie, I swore I'd never get married again; I didn't want to put myself in a position where I could get my heart broken again. So I dated losers, started relationships I knew wouldn't go anywhere so when they ended it didn't hurt. I got used to being alone, even started to like the idea. Although I suppose looking back it wasn't so much liking it as becoming resigned to the fact I'd never find anyone." She paused for a moment. "Then you came along and screwed all that up! Here, for the first time in forever, was a decent, kind, intelligent guy who wanted me for who I was as a person, not for how good I looked on his arm or how great I was in bed; someone who actually loved me and wanted commitment. And it scared the hell out of me! I was scared that something would happen and you'd leave and I'd be in even worse shape than I was after Ed!"

His face softened and he took a step towards her.  
>"I know how you feel Cath; being burned isn't nice and my ex practically took a blow torch tome when we split. But that nasty experience didn't stop be from wanting to find someone special to be with." Off her pointed look he smiled slightly. "Ok, it did for a while but I knew it wouldn't last. Then there was you and after a while I realised I'd found that someone special; I wanted you to be the one I come home to everyday, grow old with, spoil grandchildren with, argue and make love with. I'm not for a minute suggesting it will be easy – we're both too stubborn and independent for that – but I'm willing to take the chance. I think we'll be really happy Cath. But you wouldn't even answer the question. "His tone wasn't accusatory, merely matter of fact.<p>

"You never asked the damn question!" she exclaimed, exasperation tinging her tone.  
>In an instant he closed the gap between them and took her face gently in his hands, causing her to whimper softly.<p>

"Catherine Willows, you are the most complex, beautiful, incredible and at sometimes infuriating woman I have ever met in my life, but nothing would make me happier than to spend the next thirty or forty or however many years I have left with you. Will you marry me?"

She stared up into his blue/grey eyes and bit her lip, knowing the next word out of her mouth would change everything.

Thanks to Kris for helping me decide how to end this chapter.  
>"Evil laugh, runs to super-secret hiding space"<br>Lily  
>-x-<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys, here's the 13th and final chapter of this fic. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Dedicated to Sheena for looking over it and encouraging me to post when I wasn't sure I liked it lol.

"Where is she? She said she'd be here!" Greg exclaimed for the tenth time in an hour. Nick rolled his eyes, Jim and Doc Robbins looked at each other and shrugged, D.B., Morgan Brody and Hodges shook their heads and laughed while Sara feigned sympathy and patted his knee.  
>"I spoke to her this morning and she promised she'd be here. She knows where we're meeting; I'm sure she's on her way." The former lab rat pouted and craned his neck, trying to catch sight of the door to the bar past the throng of people.<p>

The grave shift had decided have a night out, not only to welcome the two new members of the team – their new supervisor and Morgan Brody, an extra pair of hands that transferred from L.A. – but also to celebrate Catherine returning from her suspension. They'd all missed her and felt that this would be the perfect way to let her know it. The bar was quite noisy; music was pumping from the speakers dotted around the place but people were still able to converse.  
>"Greg!" Nick yelled, levelling his gaze on the younger man. "If you don't stop jiggling I'm gonna strangle you! Cath said she'll be here so she'll be here. Bouncing up and down isn't gonna make her arrive faster!" Greg stilled as the rest of the group erupted into laughter. He'd just taken a sip of beer when movement by the door caught his eye. Nearly choking on his drink Greg jumped to his feet, scrambled out of the booth – ignoring protests from his colleagues about trampled feet – and dashed across the room, enveloping a rather startled strawberry blonde in a fierce hug before lifting her up and spinning her around.<p>

"Nice to know someone missed me Greggo," Catherine chuckled once he'd released her, smoothing out the wrinkles from her purple strappy dress. The material clung to her body like a second skin, flaring out slightly into a skirt that stopped just below her knees. Black peep toe heels and a black sequinned clutch, along with minimal make up, softly curled hair and simple gold hoop earrings completed the look.  
>Greg whistled appreciatively as he led her over to the rest of the team.<br>"You look lovely Catherine," Doc Robbins commented once greetings and hugs had been exchanged and she was settled next to Jim at the end of the booth. "Going somewhere nice after this?"  
>She smiled, taking the glass of white wine D.B. offered her. "I came from dinner at the Bellagio."<br>Sensing she wasn't going to offer any more information about her evening prior to joining them, Nick cut in.

"So Cath, what did you get up to while you were off? You've got a pretty nice tan going on there." He winked and she laughed, sipping her drink.  
>"I took a much needed vacation; went to the beach and took it easy for the week."<br>"Nice! Did you head up to Lake Tahoe?" Sara enquired and Catherine shook her head.  
>"Honolulu. I've never been to Hawai'i and thought it was the perfect opportunity to go."<br>"I'm so jealous!" Greg pouted. "The waves are supposed to be killer this time of year."  
>"They were," Catherine shot back, a teasing gleam dancing in her blue eyes.<br>"So did you surf?"  
>She laughed. "No, I spent most of my days reading on the beach, did some shopping, had some nice food, that kind of thing."<br>"Were you in a bikini?" Greg grinned and she winked,  
>"Sounds relaxing," Sara commented, changing the subject. Something was definitely up with the older woman, but the brunette had yet to put her finger on exactly what it was. Her use of the singular and the lack of mentions of Vartann had Sara slightly concerned. Catherine had always been less than forthcoming with information about her relationship with the handsome detective, but the younger woman had been under the impression things were going well. Maybe she'd been wrong?<p>

"It was very relaxing," the strawberry blonde replied, pulling her colleague from her reverie. "It was nice just to get away from everything."  
>"But now you're back and we're never letting you leave again," Greg proclaimed, causing everyone to chuckle. "I'm serious! Archie's gonna put a GPS chip in your arm and track your every move!"<br>"I can't decide if that's sweet or creepy," came Catherine's response, the slightly worried expression on her face making the younger man grin.

The group lapsed into amiable conversation, catching Catherine up on everything she'd missed once drinks had gone round the table again.  
>"So Cath," Jim began when everyone else was caught up in their conversations, his voice low. "Word at P.D. is that Vartann also took last week off."<br>"Really? What a coincidence," she replied with a small smirk, sipping her wine and watching Hodges and Nick arguing good naturedly about something.  
>Jim's eyebrow rose. "Care to share with the rest of the class?"<br>The redhead appeared to think about it, and was about to respond when a voice to her right caused all heads to turn.  
>"Glad I didn't miss the party," Lou smiled and greeted everyone, sliding into the booth next to Catherine then pressing a quick kiss to her cheek once the group had moved up enough to make space for him. He was wearing a black suit and a dark blue shirt, sans tie with the top few buttons undone; as far as Catherine was concerned he looked positively yummy. While Nick headed to the bar to fetch him a beer he turned to the woman next to him. "Sorry it took me so long, Jake took forever to drop me back here. I'm seriously starting to regret letting him borrow my car for the night."<br>Catherine giggled and patted his leg. "I'm sure it'll be fine."  
>"I may put an APB out on it, just to keep an eye on him."<br>"Oh don't be so dramatic," she shot back, squeezing his thigh lightly.

Sara watched the exchange between the couple, glad to know that her anxiety had been unfounded. She smiled and took a sip of her beer as Catherine reached for her wine. As she moved the dim light in the bar reflected off of something metallic; the brunette's eyes widened and she gasped, choking on the liquid and causing her to cough. Greg banged her on the back while everyone else at the table watched, concern evident in their gazes. A lot of deep breaths and a couple of tentative sips of water later her coughing subsided.  
>"Think maybe you need to slow down on the beer there Sar," Nick grinned and bumped her with his shoulder. She ignored him and looked over at Catherine who, satisfied her friend was ok, was deep in conversation with Doc Robbins. Turning her attention to Lou she saw his left arm was resting on the back of the booth behind Catherine. Her brown eyes slid to his hand and she couldn't help the grin that spread slowly across her face. Jim stared at her; his brow furrowed, and then twisted his head to see what next to him had captured her interest. The veteran cop blinked before smirking; there, resting on the third finger of Lou's left hand was the unmistakeable shape of a white gold wedding band. He tilted his chin down but his view of Catherine's hand was obscured by the table; he'd bet his pension on her having a matching band.<p>

"So Vartann," Sara piped up after exchanging a knowing look with Jim. "We didn't see you last week, did you go somewhere nice?"  
>Lou glanced at Catherine. "Yeah, I took a vacation."<br>"To Hawai'i?" Sara pressed and he nodded slowly.  
>"Hey, that's where Catherine went!" Greg exclaimed. Sara and Jim rolled their eyes while the rest of the group minus Nick laughed; he seemed to be grasping where the conversation was going. The couple in question looked at each other.<p>

"We may as well tell them," Lou said, keeping his voice low. "I'm pretty sure Sara and Brass know, the others will figure it out soon enough when your new name plate goes up." Catherine smiled and nodded, running her thumb over the band that rested on her left ring finger before grasping Lou's hand.  
>"Well, you figured us out," she began, narrowing her eyes playfully at Sara and Jim. "We were on vacation together."<br>"Although it wasn't so much a vacation as a honeymoon," Lou finished, flashing a smile in her direction.

The entire table was silent for a few moments before it erupted, hugs and words of congratulations being offered to the newlywed couple.  
>"How is it fair that both hot women on this team are married and none of the guys are?" Greg whined. "With the exception of the new blood," he added quickly, glancing at Morgan and D.B.<br>"Seriously? You're confused as to why you're not married?" Morgan stared at him and he glared while the rest of the group dissolved into laughter.

"So Mrs Vartann, glad to be back?" Lou enquired, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulling her close.  
>"Why yes I am," she replied with a chuckle before pressing a kiss to his lips.<p>

THE END

Hope ya'll enjoyed the fic. Still not 100% sure about the ending but it's better than nothing :)  
>Lily<br>-x-


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